Checkpoint 156-215.81 Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81.20 CCSA (156-215.81.20) Exam Practice Test

Specific VPN Communities is the option that would only match and allow traffic to VPN gateways for one Community in common. This option allows you to define a specific VPN community that includes the VPN gateways that are allowed to communicate with each other. The other options are either too broad or too narrow for this scenario. References: [Site to Site VPN in R80.x - Tutorial for Beginners]

 Security Gateway software blades must be attached to a Security Gateway container. A Security Gateway container is a logical object that represents a physical or virtual machine that runs the Security Gateway software. A software blade is a modular security feature that can be enabled or disabled eway container. A software blade can provide functions such as firewall, VPN, IPS, anti-virus, anti-bot, application control, URL filtering, etc.References: [Security Gateway Containers], [Software Blades]

The three components for Check Point Capsule are Capsule Workspace, Capsule Docs, and Capsule Cloud123. Capsule Workspace provides a secure container on the mobile device that isolates business data and applications from personal data and applications2. Capsule Docs protects business documents everywhere they go with encryption and access control1. Capsule Cloud provides cloud-based security services to protect mobile users from threats3. References: Check Point Capsule, Check Point Capsule Workspace, Mobile Secure Workspace with Capsule

Stateful Inspection compiles and registers connections in the State Table. The State Table is a database that stores information about active connections and sessions on the Security Gateway. The other options are not valid names for the database that stores connection information.

References: 1: Policy Types 2: CPUSE 3: SIC : [Software Containers] : [Stateful Inspection]

The GAiA Portal is the WebUI for Check Point security appliances. By default, it uses the HTTPS protocol for secure communication. The default port for HTTPS-based web access is port 443.

Port 4434 (A) is not the default port for GAiA Portal.

Port 80 (B) is the default for standard HTTP, but GAiA Portal requires HTTPS.

Port 8080 (C) is sometimes used for alternative web services, but not for GAiA Portal.

Port 443 (D) is the correct default port for GAiA Portal access.

Thus, the correct answer is D. 443.

The Threat Prevention Software Blade that provides protection from malicious software that can infect your network computers is Anti-Virus. Anti-Virus is a software blade that scans files and traffic for viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and other malware. Anti-Virus can block or clean infected files and prevent malware outbreaks. IPS is a software blade that provides protection from network attacks and exploits. Anti-Malware is not a software blade, but rather a term that refers to any software that can detect and remove malware. Content Awareness is a software blade that provides visibility and control over data that enters or leaves the network based on file types, data types, and keywords.

References: [Anti-Virus Software Blade], [IPS Software Blade], [What is Anti-Malware?], [Content Awareness Software Blade]

One limitation of using Security Zones in the network is that Security Zones will not work in Manual NAT rules. Manual NAT rules are rules that explicitly define how to translate the source and destination IP addresses and ports of each connection. Manual NAT rules do not support using Security Zones as objects, only network objects or groups. Automatic NAT rules are rules that automatically define how to translate the source and destination IP addresses and ports of each connection based on the network objects or groups properties. Automatic NAT rules support using Security Zones as objects. Security Zones can also work in firewall policy layer and network topology.References: [Security Zones Best Practices], [NAT Methods]

The correct syntax for adding a host using GAiA management CLI is mgmt add host name ip-address 2. References: Check Point GAiA R81 Command Line Interface Reference Guide

 If AdminB sees a lock icon on a rule, it means that the rule is locked by AdminA and will be made available if the session is published. A session is a set of changes made by an administrator in SmartConsole. A session can be published to save and share the changes with other administrators, or discarded to cancel the changes and unlock the objects1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 18.

Threat Extraction delivers PDF versions of original files with active content removed, such as macros, embedded objects, and scripts. This ensures that users receive clean and safe files in seconds12. References: Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection, Check Point Threat Extraction

 The correct answer is A because session unique identifiers are passed to the web api using the X-chkp-sid http header option1. The X-chkp-sid header is used to authenticate and authorize API calls1. The other options are not related to session unique identifiers. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

 Check Point licenses are divided into two types: central and local. Central licenses are managed by a Security Management Server and can be attached to any Security Gateway managed by that server. Local licenses are tied to the IP address of a specific Security Gateway and cannot be transferred to a gateway that has a different IP address. Formal and corporate are not types of Check Point licenses. References: [Check Point R81 Licensing and Contract Administration Guide]

The command that shows the installed licenses is cplic print. This command displays the license information on a Check Point server or Security Gateway. It shows the license type, expiration date, attached blades, etc. The other options are incorrect. print cplic is not a valid command. fwlic print is not a valid command. show licenses is not a valid command. References: [How to check license status on SecurePlatform / Gaia from CLI]

Resource is NOT an objects category in SmartConsole1, p. 18. The objects categories in SmartConsole are Network Object, Host, Network, Group, Gateway, Cluster, VPN Community, Service, Time Object, Access Role, Custom Application / Site, Data Center Object, Limit. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point SmartConsole R81 Help]

The position of an implied rule is manipulated in the Global Properties window. Implied rules are predefined rules that are not displayed in the rule base. They allow or block traffic for essential services such as communication with Check Point servers, logging, and VPN traffic. The position of an implied rule can be changed in the Global Properties > Firewall > Implied Rules section56. References: How to view Implied Rules in R80.x / R81.x SmartConsole, Implied Rules

Certificate based Authentication is the only authentication method available between two Security Gateway managed by the same SMS. This is because certificate based authentication provides stronger security and easier management than pre-shared secret authentication. The other options are either incorrect or irrelevant for this scenario. References: [Check Point R80.10 - Part 6 - Certificate Based Authentication]

The way that the objects can be manipulated using the new API integration in R80 Management is JSON. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans and machines to read and write. The R80 Management API uses JSON as the primary data format for requests and responses. Therefore, the correct answer is B. JSON.

SmartEvent is a unified security management solution that provides real-time visibility into security events across the network. SmartEvent shows correlated logs and aggregated data to provide an overview of potential threats and attack patterns, as well as generate reports and alerts based on predefined or customized indicators. SmartView Tracker, SmartLog, and SmartView Monitor are other SmartConsole applications that can show logs, search queries, and network statistics respectively, but they do not provide the same level of correlation and analysis as SmartEvent. References: [Check Point R81 SmartEvent Administration Guide]

The options to calculate the traffic direction are Incoming, Internal, and External3. Outgoing is not an option. Incoming traffic is traffic that enters the Security Gateway from an external network. Internal traffic is traffic that originates and terminates in networks that are directly connected to the Security Gateway. External traffic is traffic that originates or terminates in networks that are not directly connected to the Security Gateway. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

 The command that can be used to determine the software version from the CLI is fw ver. This command displays the version of the firewall module and the build number3 . fw stat, fw monitor, and cpinfo are not commands for software version identification. References: Check Point R81 Command Line Interface Reference Guide, [156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test - ExamTopics]

The Sticky Decision Function (SDF) is required to prevent failovers in an Active-Active cluster. The SDF ensures that the same cluster member handles all connections that belong to a certain session. If the SDF is not enabled, different cluster members may handle different connections of the same session, which may cause a failover or a drop12. References: ClusterXL Administration Guide R81, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

Gaia can be managed through CLI, WebUI, and SmartDashboard1, p. 17-18. CLI is a command-line interface that allows administrators to configure and monitor Gaia using commands and scripts. WebUI is a web-based interface that allows administrators to configure and monitor Gaia using a browser. SmartDashboard is a graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage security policies and objects for Gaia devices. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point Gaia Administration Guide R81], [Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81]

The key that is created during Phase 2 of a site-to-site VPN is a symmetrical IPSec key3. This key is used to encrypt and decrypt the data that is exchanged between the VPN peers3. The symmetrical IPSec key is derived from the shared secret and the Diffie-Hellman public keys that are exchanged during Phase 13. References: Site to Site VPN in R80.x - Tutorial for Beginners

The R80.10 management server can manage gateways with versions R76 and higher34. Versions lower than R76 are not supported by the R80.10 management server. References: Check Point R80.10 Release Notes, Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide

To increase security, the administrator has modified the Core protection ‘Host Port Scan’ from ‘Medium’ to ‘High’ Predefined Sensitivity. The administrator should install the Threat Prevention Policy after Publishing the changes3. The Threat Prevention Policy defines how the Security Gateway inspects and protects against threats such as port scans, bot attacks, and zero-day exploits4. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

SmartConsole provides a consolidated solution for everything that is necessary for the security of an organization, such as Security Policy Management and Log Analysis. Security Policy Management is the process of defining and enforcing rules that control the access and protection of network resources. Log Analysis is the process of collecting, analyzing, and reporting on log data that is generated by network devices and applications. SmartConsole is a unified graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple security functions from a single console. The other options are not part of SmartConsole, but rather separate software blades or features that can be integrated with SmartConsole. 

The SmartCenter that should be connected to for making changes is the active SmartCenter. The active SmartCenter is the one that is currently synchronizing its configuration with the secondary SmartCenter and handling the communication with the gateways . The primary SmartCenter is the one that was initially configured as the main server, but it may become inactive if a failover occurs. The virtual IP of SmartCenter HA is used to access the SmartConsole, not to make changes. References: [Security Management Server High Availability (HA) R81 Administration Guide], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation], [How to configure ClusterXL High Availability on Security Management Server]

An LDAP server holds one or more Account Units. An Account Unit is a logical representation of an LDAP server in the Check Point database. It defines the connection parameters, authentication methods, and user and group information that are retrieved from the LDAP server. An Account Unit allows the Security Gateway to use the LDAP server for user authentication and identity awareness. The other options are incorrect. A Server Unit is a logical representation of a Check Point server in the Check Point database. An Administrator Unit is a logical representation of an administrator or an administrator group in the Check Point database. An Account Server is not a valid term in Check Point terminology. References: [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 SmartConsole R81 Resolved Issues]

The Status Attention means that at least one Software Blade has a minor issue, but the gateway works1. For example, this could indicate a license expiration warning, a policy installation failure, or a blade activation problem2. References: Check Point R81 SmartConsole Guide, Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The difference between the Install Policy button on the SmartConsole’s tab and the Install Policy within a specific policy is that the former installs all the policies that are selected in the Install Policy window, while the latter pre-selects the installation for only the current policy and for the applicable gateways5 . The other options are not accurate differences. References: Installing Policies, [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation]

Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM) is the utility that is used to block activities that appear to be suspicious. SAM allows administrators to block connections from specific IP addresses or network objects for a specified period of time3. Penalty Box is a feature of SAM that automatically blocks connections from sources that generate too many log entries. Drop Rule in the rulebase is a firewall action that discards packets that match certain criteria. Stealth rule is a firewall rule that prevents direct access to the Security Gateway from external sources.

 When an Admin logs into SmartConsole and sees a lock icon on a gateway object and cannot edit that object, it indicates that another Admin has made an edit to that object and has yet to publish the change. SmartConsole supports concurrent administration, which means that multiple Admins can work on the same security policy at the same time. However, when one Admin edits an object, such as a gateway, a rule, or a network, that object is locked for other Admins until the change is published or discarded. The lock icon shows which objects are being edited by other Admins and prevents conflicts or overwrites. The gateway being powered off, incorrect routing to reach the gateway, or logging in to Read-Only mode do not cause the lock icon to appear.References: [Concurrent Administration], [SmartConsole Overview]

Logs are not automatically forwarded to a new Log Server. SmartConsole must be used to manually configure each gateway to send its logs to the server. After adding a new Log Server and establishing the SIC trust with the SMS, the administrator must use SmartConsole to assign the Log Server to each gateway in the Logs and Masters section of the gateway properties2. The other options are not correct, as gateways can send logs to both SMS and Log Server, Log Servers are not proprietary log archive servers, and gateways will not detect the new Log Server after the next policy install.

References: Threat Emulation is not a policy type available for each policy package. Threat Emulation is a software blade that is part of the Threat Prevention policy type. The other options are valid policy types that can be configured for each policy package. References: [Threat Prevention Administration Guide R80.40], [Security Policies Administration Guide R80.40]

The option that allows all encrypted and non-VPN traffic that matches the rule is Accept all encrypted traffic. This option enables you to allow traffic to any destination that is encrypted, regardless of whether it is part of a VPN community or not2. Therefore, the correct answer is B. Accept all encrypted traffic. 

When a Security Gateway sends its logs to an IP address other than its own, it means that the Security Gateway and the Log Server are installed on different machines. This is a characteristic of a Distributed deployment3. Therefore, the correct answer is A

Active Directory Query is an identity acquisition method that allows a Security Gateway to identify Active Directory users and computers. Active Directory Query enables the Security Gateway to query the Active Directory Domain Controllers for user and computer information, such as IP addresses, group memberships, and login events.

References: : Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, page 14.

 If there are two administrators logged in at the same time to the SmartConsole, and there are objects locked for editing, the administrator who locked the objects must publish or discard the session to make them available to other administrators. Publishing or discarding the session will save or discard the changes made by the administrator and unlock the objects for editing by others3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 18.

The command to restore a backup of Check Point configurations without the OS information is restore_backup4. This command restores the Gaia OS configuration and the firewall database from a compressed file. The other commands are not valid for this purpose. import backup is not a valid command. cp_merge is a command to merge policies or objects from different databases. migrate import is a command to import a previously exported database using migrate export. References: System Backup and Restore feature in Gaia, [cp_merge], [migrate import]

 SecureID is the authentication method that requires token authenticator2. SecureID is a two-factor authentication method that uses a hardware or software token to generate a one-time password. The user must enter the token code along with their username and password to authenticate. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

The changes made by an administrator before publishing the session can be seen by a superuser administrator from Manage and Settings > Sessions, right click on the session and click ‘View Changes…’. This option allows the superuser to review the changes made by another administrator in a pending session1. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

There are three types of Endpoint Identity Agents: Full, Light, and Terminal. Custom is not a valid type2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Endpoint Security Administration Guide, page 18.

The statement that is not true about Delta synchronization is that it uses UDP Multicast or Broadcast on port 8161. The correct port number for Delta synchronization is 811612. The other statements are true about Delta synchronization. References: ClusterXL Administration Guide R81, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The User Directory is used to obtain identification and security information about network users. It can be integrated with external user databases such as LDAP, RADIUS, or TACACS+. References: Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) R81.20 Course Overview, page 9.

The following is considered a “Subscription Blade”, requiring renewal every 1-3 years: IPS blade4. The IPS blade is a software blade that provides protection against network attacks and exploits by inspecting traffic and blocking malicious packets. The IPS blade requires a subscription license that includes updates for the IPS signatures and Geo Protection database. Other subscription blades include Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, URL Filtering, Application Control, Threat Emulation, and Threat Extraction. References: Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User Guide

The correct answer is A because the traffic from source 192.168.1.1 to is handled by the Slow Path if the Application Control Blade on the gateway is inspecting the traffic 2. The Slow Path is used when traffic requires inspection by one or more Software Blades2. The other paths are used for different scenarios2. References: Check Point R81 Performance Tuning Administration Guide

The path that is available only when CoreXL is enabled is the medium path. The medium path is used to handle packets that require deeper inspection by the Firewall and IPS blades, but do not need to go through the slow path . The slow path is used to handle packets that require stateful or out-of-state inspection by other blades, such as Application Control or VPN . The firewall path and the accelerated path are available regardless of CoreXL status . References: [CoreXL R81 Administration Guide], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation], [Check Point Security Gateway Architecture and Packet Flow], [Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide]

 Only one user can have read/write access in Gaia Operating System at one time2. This is to prevent conflicts and errors when multiple users try to modify the same configuration settings. References: Check Point Gaia Administration Guide

SmartView is the web application for real-time event monitoring in SmartEvent R80 and above. It provides a unified view of security events across the network and allows for quick investigation and response34. References: SmartEvent R80.40 Administration Guide, SmartView

The policy type that is used to enforce bandwidth and traffic control rules is QoS. QoS stands for Quality of Service and is a software blade that allows administrators to prioritize network traffic according to various criteria such as source, destination, service, application, user, etc. QoS can also limit the bandwidth consumption of certain traffic types or guarantee a minimum bandwidth for critical applications. References: [Check Point R81 QoS Administration Guide]

The default port numbers for an LDAP server are 389 for standard connections and 636 for SSL connections. LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a protocol that allows access to directory services over TCP/IP. Therefore, the correct answer is B. 389, 636. 

The SOLR database is used for full text search and enables powerful matching capabilities3 . SOLR is an open source enterprise search platform that provides fast and scalable indexing and searching of data. It supports advanced features such as faceting, highlighting, spell checking, synonyms, etc. The SOLR database is used by Check Point products such as SmartLog and SmartEvent to store and query logs and events3 . The other options are incorrect. Option B is false, as SOLR does not write data to the database, but only reads data from it. Option C is false, as SOLR does not serve GUI, but only provides a RESTful API for queries. Option D is false, as SOLR does not enable powerful matching capabilities and write data to the database, but only enables powerful matching capabilities. References: SOLR - Check Point Software, [Apache Solr]

By default, the WebUI listens on port 80. The WebUI is a web-based interface that allows administrators to configure and monitor Gaia OS settings and features from a web browser. The WebUI uses the HTTP protocol to communicate with the Gaia machine, which by default uses port 80 as the standard port number. The other port numbers are not used by the WebUI by default, but they can be changed by modifying the Gaia configuration file or using CLISH commands. 

 The SIC Status “Unknown” means that there is no connection between the gateway and Security Management Server. This can happen if the gateway is down, unreachable, or has not been initialized yet12. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide

The steps to configure the HTTPS Inspection Policy are as follows34:

Go to Manage & Settings > Blades > HTTPS Inspection > Policy.

Click on New HTTPS Inspection Rule or select an existing rule and click on Edit Rule.

Define the Source, Destination, and Action for the rule. The action can be either Inspect, Bypass, or Ask.

Click on OK and then on Install Policy to apply the changes. References: HTTPS Inspection R81 Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The command api status shows the API server status, including whether it is enabled or not, the port number, and the API version1. References: Check Point R81 API Reference Guide

 In Hide NAT, only the source IP address is translated to a different IP address4. This is used to hide a group of hosts behind a single IP address, usually the external interface of the Security Gateway. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide

The communication between different Check Point components is secured in R80 by using SIC. SIC stands for Secure Internal Communication and it is a mechanism that ensures the authenticity and confidentiality of communication between Check Point components, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, Log Servers, etc. SIC uses certificates issued by the Internal CA (ICA) and encryption algorithms such as AES-25634. References: Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide, Check Point R81 Quantum Security Management Administration Guide

 The answer is A because changing the Security Gateway IP-address requires re-establishing the trust with the Security Management Server by initializing the Secure Internal Communication (SIC). Changing the Security Gateway name in command line or changing the Security Management Server name or IP-address in SmartConsole does not require re-establishing the trust, but it may require updating the topology and pushing the policy.References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide]

The CDT utility supports all upgrades, including major version upgrades, Jumbo HFA’s, and hotfixes3. References: Check Point Upgrade Service Engine (CPUSE) - Gaia Deployment Agent

The snapshot option would allow you to make a backup copy of the OS and Check Point configuration, without stopping Check Point processes. A snapshot is a full system backup, including network interfaces, routing tables, and Check Point products and configuration. The other options require stopping Check Point processes or do not backup the OS.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 15-16

To achieve the requirement of giving the Network Operations Center administrator access to Check Point Security devices mostly for troubleshooting purposes, but not to the expert mode, and still allowing her to run tcpdump, you need to:

Add tcpdump to CLISH using add command. This command adds a new command to the Command Line Interface Shell (CLISH) that allows running tcpdump without entering the expert mode .

Create a new access role. This option defines a set of permissions and commands that can be assigned to a user or a group of users.

Add tcpdump to the role. This option grants the permission to run tcpdump to the role.

Create new user with any UID and assign role to the user. This option creates a new user account with any User ID (UID) and assigns the role that has tcpdump permission to the user.

References: [How to add a new command to CLISH], [Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide]

The reason why querying logs now are very fast is that Indexing Engine indexes logs for faster search results. Indexing Engine is a component of R81 Management that creates and maintains an index of log data, which enables quick and efficient log searches4. The other options are not related to the speed of log querying. The amount of logs being stored may vary depending on the log retention settings. New Smart-1 appliances may have improved hardware specifications, but they do not affect the log querying process directly. SmartConsole queries results from the Security Management Server, not from the Security Gateway.

References: 1: HTTPS Inspection 2: Browser-Based Authentication 3: URL Filtering 4: Indexing Engine

SmartLog is a unified log viewer that provides fast and easy access to logs from all Check Point components3. It allows the administrator to query for any log field, such as the IP address of the tablet, and filter the results by time, severity, blade, action, and more4. SmartView Tracker is a legacy tool that displays network activity logs from Security Gateways and other Check Point devices. It does not support remote connection to the wireless controller or querying for specific IP addresses. References: SmartLog, SmartLog Queries, [SmartView Tracker]

The command show config-state can be used to verify if there are unsaved changes in GAiA that will be lost with a reboot . The other commands are not valid in GAiA. References: [Check Point GAiA Administration Guide], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation]

The licensing feature that is used to verify licenses and activate new licenses added to the License and Contracts repository is Automatic licensing and Verification tool1, p. 8. Automatic licensing is a feature that allows the Security Management Server to automatically attach licenses to Security Gateways. Verification tool is a feature that allows the Security Management Server to verify the validity of licenses and contracts2. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Licensing and Contract Administration Guide R81

The correct answer is D because from SecureXL perspective, the three paths of traffic flow are Firewall Path, Accelerated Path, and Medium Path3. The Firewall Path is used when SecureXL is disabled or traffic is not eligible for acceleration3. The Accelerated Path is used when SecureXL handles the entire connection and bypasses the Firewall kernel3. The Medium Path is used when SecureXL handles part of the connection and forwards packets to the Firewall kernel for further inspection3. The other options are not valid paths of traffic flow from SecureXL perspective3. References: Check Point R81 Performance Tuning Administration Guide

When a certificate is revoked from a Security Gateway, the information is stored on the Certificate Revocation List (CRL). The CRL is maintained by the Internal Certificate Authority (ICA) and is checked during certificate validation processes.

Option A (Incorrect): The Security Management Server maintains certificate information but does not store revoked certificates permanently.

Option C (Incorrect): The Internal Certificate Authority manages certificate issuance but does not store revoked certificates—it publishes a CRL instead.

Option D (Incorrect): The Security Administrator does not receive direct notifications of revoked certificates.

Thus, the correct answer is B. Stored on the Certificate Revocation List.

The method to update the trusted log server regarding the policy and configuration changes performed on the Security Management Server is Save Policy. Saving a policy updates the trusted log server with the latest policy and configuration changes3. References: Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide

SmartView Monitor is the tool that allows you to monitor the top bandwidth on SmartConsole. SmartView Monitor is a graphical tool that displays real-time network and security performance data, such as traffic, throughput, connections, CPU usage, memory usage, etc. You can use SmartView Monitor to identify the top bandwidth consumers and optimize your network performance.References: [SmartView Monitor], [Monitoring Network Traffic]

The ports to which the Client Authentication daemon listens on by default are 259 and 900. Client Authentication is a method that allows users to authenticate with the Security Gateway before they are allowed access to protected resources. The Client Authentication daemon (fwauthd) runs on the Security Gateway and listens for authentication requests on TCP ports 259 and 900 . References: [Check Point R81 Remote Access VPN Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide]

The IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) Software Blade provides comprehensive protection against malicious and unwanted network traffic, focusing on application and server vulnerabilities. The other options are not related to this function.

References: : [Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide], page 9.

halt is the Gaia command that turns the server off. This command shuts down the operating system and powers off the machine. Other commands that can be used to shut down the server are shutdown and poweroff. References: [Gaia Administration Guide R80.40]

 A clean-up rule is a rule that is placed at the end of the security policy to drop any traffic that is not explicitly allowed by the previous rules. It is a best practice to have a clean-up rule to prevent unauthorized access and log the dropped packets for analysis12. The other options are not the purpose of a clean-up rule. References: Clean-up Rule, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The answer is A because the graphic shows the properties of a personal .p12 certificate file issued for user John. A .p12 file is a file format that contains a user’s private key and public key certificate. The graphic shows that the certificate file is valid and has an expiration date of 07-Apr-2018. The graphic also shows that the certificate file is issued by an internal CA, which is a Check Point component that manages certificates for users and gateways.References: Check Point R81 Certificate Management, Check Point R81 Internal CA

The port used for full synchronization between cluster members is TCP port 2654. This port is used by the Firewall Kernel to send and receive synchronization data, such as connection tables, NAT tables, and VPN keys4. UDP port 8116 is used by the Cluster Control Protocol (CCP) for internal communications between cluster members4. References: How does the Cluster Control Protocol function in working and failure scenarios for gateway clusters?

 Security questions are not an authentication scheme used for accounts created through SmartConsole4. The available authentication schemes are Check Point password, RADIUS, TACACS, SecurID, LDAP, and Certificate. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

According to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center3, the snapshot command uses the command line to create an image of the OS. A snapshot is a point-in-time copy of a disk partition that can be used to restore the system in case of a failure or corruption. References: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center

While enabling the Identity Awareness blade, the Identity Awareness wizard does not automatically detect the Windows domain because the SmartConsole machine is not part of the domain. The SmartConsole machine needs to be a member of the Windows domain or have access to a domain controller in order to detect the domain automatically2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, page 10.

The answer is B because Geo policy shared policy is used to create policy for traffic to or from a particular location based on the source or destination country. DLP shared policy is used to prevent data loss by inspecting files and data for sensitive information. Mobile Access software blade is used to provide secure remote access to corporate resources from various devices. HTTPS inspection is used to inspect encrypted web traffic for threats and compliance4References: Check Point R81 Geo Policy Administration Guide, [Check Point R81 Data Loss Prevention Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Mobile Access Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 HTTPS Inspection Administration Guide]

In a Distributed Environment, a Central License can be installed via CLI on a Security Gateway using the CPLIC command1. This command allows you to install a license from a file or from the User Center1. Therefore, the correct answer is D. True, Central License can be installed with CPLIC command on a Security Gateway. 

Clish is the default shell for the command line interface. It is a user-friendly shell that provides a menu-based and a command-line mode. Admin, Normal, and Expert are not valid shell names1.

The default Gaia user that has full read/write access is admin3. The admin user is the superuser that can perform any administrative task on the Gaia system, such as configuring network settings, installing software updates, managing licenses, creating snapshots, and more. The admin user can also access the Gaia Portal, which is a web-based interface for managing Gaia settings and features. References: Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide

If there is an Accept Implied Policy set to “First”, Jorge cannot see any logs because Log Implied Rule was not selected on Global Properties. The Log Implied Rule option enables logging for all implied rules, such as DHCP, anti-spoofing, and cleanup rules.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 103.

Automatic Hide NAT enables Source Port Address Translation by default1. This means that the source IP address and port number are translated to a different IP address and port number. This allows multiple hosts to share a single IP address for outbound connections. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide

Aggressive Mode in IKEv1 uses three packets for negotiation, with all data required for the SA passed by the initiator1. The responder sends the proposal, key material, and ID, and authenticates the session in the next packet. The initiator replies and authenticates the session1.

The other answers are not correct because they either refer to the Main Mode in IKEv1, which uses six packets for negotiation2, or they are irrelevant to the number of packets used in Aggressive Mode.

Understand IPsec IKEv1 Protocol - Cisco

Negotiation modes for phase 1 - IBM

FAQ-What are the differences between IKEv1 and IKEv2- Huawei

The command that is used to monitor cluster members is cphaprob state. This command shows the state of each cluster member (Active, Standby, Down, etc.) and the reason for the state (OK, HA Failure, CCP Failure, etc.). It also shows the state synchronization status (Synchronized or Not Synchronized) and the uptime of each cluster member. The other options are incorrect. Option B is a command to show the status of cluster services, not cluster members. Option C is not a valid command by itself, as it requires an argument such as state, status, list, etc. Option D is not a valid command at all. References: [cphaprob]

This answer is correct because for a certificate-based VPN tunnel, both gateways need to have a certificate issued by a certificate authority (CA) that they trust1. A CA is a trusted entity that verifies the identity of the gateways and signs their certificates2. The gateways can either use the same CA or different CAs, as long as they trust each other’s CA3. This way, the gateways can authenticate each other using their certificates and establish a secure VPN tunnel.

The other answers are not correct because they are either irrelevant or incompatible with certificate-based VPN tunnel. Shared secret passwords and unique passwords are used for pre-shared key (PSK) authentication, which is a different method than certificate authentication4. PSK authentication is less secure and more vulnerable to brute force attacks than certificate authentication. Shared user certificates are not used for gateway authentication, but for user authentication, which is a different level of authentication than gateway authentication. User authentication is optional and can be used in addition to gateway authentication to provide more granular access control.

Configure server settings for P2S VPN Gateway connections - certificate authentication

VPN certificates and how they work

Create Certificate Based Site to Site VPN between 2 Check Point Gateways

HowTo Set Up Certificate Based VPNs with Check Point Appliances

A shared policy is a set of rules that can be used in multiple policy packages. It allows the administrator to create a common security policy for different gateways or domains, and avoid duplication and inconsistency. The other options are not advantages of a shared policy. References: [Shared Policies Overview], [Shared Policies Best Practices]

The VPN Domains configuration element determines which traffic should be encrypted into a VPN tunnel vs. sent in the clear. The VPN Domain is the set of hosts and networks that are allowed to communicate securely with the gateway12. The firewall topologies, NAT rules, and the rule base do not directly affect the VPN encryption decision. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide, CCSA/CCSE Exam Tips & Content - R80.X vs. R81.X - Check Point CheckMates

The answer is A because an identity server uses a shared secret for user authentication. A shared secret is a passphrase that is known by both the identity server and the user. The identity server sends a challenge to the user, who encrypts it with the shared secret and sends it back. The identity server then verifies the response and authenticates the user12 References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Identity Server

 Application Control is the software blade that enables Access Control policies to accept, drop, or limit web site access based on user, group, and/or machine. Application Control allows you to define granular rules for applications, web sites, web categories, web content types, and users. You can also use Application Control to monitor and block risky applications and web usage. References: [Application Control Administration Guide R80.40]

 Identity Awareness is a software blade that lets an administrator easily configure network access and auditing based on three items: network location, the identity of a user, and the identity of a machine. These items are used to identify and authenticate users and machines, and to enforce identity-based policies. Network location refers to the IP address or subnet of the source or destination of the traffic. The identity of a user can be obtained from various sources, such as Active Directory, LDAP, or Captive Portal. The identity of a machine can be verified by using Secure Domain Logon or Identity Agent. 

The WebUI can be used to manage Operating System user accounts and add users to your Gaia system, assign privileges to users, and edit the home directory of the user. However, it cannot assign user rights to their home directory in the Security Management Server. This is done by the SmartConsole1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 11.

You should generate new licenses when the existing license expires, license is upgraded or the IP-address where the license is tied changes13. These scenarios require a new license to be generated and activated on the Security Gateway or Management Server13. Therefore, the correct answer is C. When the existing license expires, license is upgraded or the IP-address where the license is tied changes

 The BEST immediate action to take when you have discovered suspicious activity in your network is to create a suspicious action rule to block that traffic. A suspicious action rule is a special type of rule that is triggered when a predefined condition is met, such as a malicious file download, a ransomware attack, or a data exfiltration attempt13. A suspicious action rule can block the traffic, quarantine the source, or send an alert to the administrator. Creating a policy rule to block the traffic may not be effective if the traffic does not match the rule criteria or if the policy installation is delayed. Waiting until traffic has been identified before making any changes may allow the threat to spread or cause more damage. Contacting ISP to block the traffic may not be feasible or timely, and may also affect legitimate traffic. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation | Udemy

The answer is D because in R80 and above, the first administrator to connect to the Management Server using SmartConsole gets a lock on only the objects being modified in his session of the Management Database. Other administrators can connect to make changes using different sessions, but they cannot modify the same objects as the first administrator until he publishes his changes. This is called concurrent administration and it allows multiple administrators to work on the same policy package simultaneously12 References: Check Point R80.10 Concurrent Administration, Check Point R80.40 Security Management Administration Guide

Capsule Connect provides a Layer 3 VPN that allows users to access corporate resources securely from their mobile devices2. Capsule Workspace provides a secure container on the mobile device that isolates business data and applications from personal data and applications3. Capsule Workspace also provides a desktop with usable applications such as email, calendar, contacts, documents, and web applications3. References: Check Point Capsule Connect, Check Point Capsule Workspace

There are two default users on Gaia Platform and neither can be deleted. The two default users are admin and monitor. The admin user has full access to the Gaia configuration and management tools, such as CLI and WebUI. The monitor user has read-only access to the Gaia configuration and management tools, and can only view the system status and settings. These two users cannot be deleted, but their passwords can be changed.References: [Gaia Administration Guide], [Gaia Overview]

The tracking actions that can be selected when configuring Spoof Tracking are Log, alert, none. Spoof Tracking is a feature that detects packets with spoofed source IP addresses and logs them in SmartView Tracker. The administrator can choose to log only, log and alert, or do nothing when spoofed packets are detected. The other options are not valid tracking actions for Spoof Tracking, as they are either not available or not relevant for this feature.

References: [Spoof Tracking], [Firewall Administration Guide]

The three main components of Check Point security management architecture are SmartConsole, Security Management, and Security Gateway5. SmartConsole is the graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage and monitor Check Point products. Security Management is the server that stores the security policy and configuration data. Security Gateway is the device that enforces the security policy on the network traffic. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

A main component of the Check Point security management architecture is SmartConsole2. SmartConsole is a unified graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple security functions such as firewall, VPN, IPS, application control, URL filtering, identity awareness, and more. SmartConsole connects to the Security Management Server and interacts with other Check Point components such as Security Gateways and Endpoint Security Servers. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

This log filter will show only the logs that have the action of “Key Install”, which means that the Security Gateway installed a new encryption key for the VPN tunnel1. It will also show only the logs that have the IP address of 1.1.1.1, which is the remote gateway that has some issues. Finally, it will show only the logs that have the Quick Mode, which is the IKE Phase 2 negotiation that establishes the agreed networks for both gateways2.

The other log filters are not correct because they either include the Main Mode, which is the IKE Phase 1 negotiation that establishes the secure channel between the gateways2, or they do not specify the IP address of the remote gateway.

Logging and Monitoring R81.20 Administration Guide

Remote Access VPN R81.20 Administration Guide

Remote Access VPN R81 Administration Guide

Application Control/URL filtering database library is known as AppWiki. AppWiki is an application classification and identification database that enables administrators to control access to thousands of applications and millions of websites. References: [Check Point R81 Application Control Administration Guide], [Check Point AppWiki]

The Check Point software blade that monitors Check Point devices and provides a picture of network and security performance is Monitoring. The Monitoring Software Blade presents a complete picture of network and security performance, enabling fast responses to changes in traffic patterns or security events. It centrally monitors Check Point devices and alerts security administrators to changes to gateways, endpoints, tunnels, remote users and security activities234. References: Monitoring Software Blade, Check Point Integrated Security Architecture, Support, Support Requests, Training, Documentation, and Knowledge base for Check Point products and services

The Secure Network Distributor (SND) is a feature of the Security Gateway that is used to distribute packets among Firewall instances . It improves the performance and scalability of the Firewall by utilizing multiple CPU cores. The other options are not related to SND. References: [Check Point Security Gateway Architecture and Packet Flow], [Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide]

Threat Prevention is a comprehensive solution that protects networks from malicious attacks by using multiple security blades, such as Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, IPS, Threat Emulation, and Threat Extraction. These are the Threat Prevention software components available on the Check Point Security Gateway. IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) is a blade that detects and prevents network attacks by using signatures and behavioral patterns. Anti-Bot is a blade that detects and blocks botnet communications by using reputation services and heuristics. Anti-Virus is a blade that scans files and web content for malware by using signatures and emulation. Threat Emulation is a blade that analyzes suspicious files in a sandbox environment and blocks malicious files from entering the network. Threat Extraction is a blade that removes exploitable content from files and delivers clean files to users2. References: Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

 Packet filtering is a technique that controls the flow of network data by examining the headers of packets and applying a set of rules to accept or reject them. Packet filtering has some advantages, such as efficiency, cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and transparency3. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as low security and no screening above the network layer4. Packet filtering firewalls cannot inspect the payload of packets or the application layer protocols, which makes them vulnerable to attacks that exploit higher-level vulnerabilitie

Gaia includes Check Point Upgrade Service Engine (CPUSE), which can directly receive updates for licensed Check Point products for the Gaia operating system and the Gaia operating system itself. CPUSE is an advanced tool that automates software updates and upgrades on Gaia platforms. It can download and install packages such as hotfixes, Jumbo Hotfix Accumulators, minor versions, major versions, and OS updates.References: [CPUSE - Gaia Software Updates (including Gaia Software Updates Agent)], [Check Point R81]

Stateful Inspection is true about looking at both the headers of packets, as well as deeply examining their content. Stateful Inspection inspects packets at all layers of the OSI model and maintains information about the state and context of each connection in a state table. References: Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) R81.20 Course Overview, page 6.

 Captive Portal is a feature of Identity Awareness that allows you to authenticate users through a web browser before they access the Internet or corporate resources. Captive Portal can be used for various authentication methods, such as user name and password, one-time password (OTP), or certificate3. Captive Portal does not manage user permission in SmartConsole, provide remote access to SmartConsole, or authenticate users to the Gaia OS. Those are different functions that are not related to Captive Portal. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

In a Distributed deployment, the Security Gateway and the Security Management software are installed on different computers or appliances2. This allows for better scalability and performance. References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81

An Endpoint identity agent uses a username/password or Kerberos ticket for user authentication3, p. 28. An Endpoint identity agent is a lightweight client installed on endpoint computers that communicates with Identity Awareness gateways and provides reliable identity information. An Endpoint identity agent does not use a shared secret, a token, or a certificate for user authentication. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point Identity Awareness Administration Guide R81]

The option that is NOT an advantage of Stateful Inspection is No Screening above Network layer. Stateful Inspection is a firewall technology that inspects packets at all layers of the OSI model, from layer 3 (Network) to layer 7 (Application). Stateful Inspection provides screening above Network layer, such as checking TCP flags, sequence numbers, ports, and application protocols . The other options are advantages of Stateful Inspection, as it provides high performance, good security, and transparency for legitimate traffic.

References: Stateful Inspection Technology, Firewall Administration Guide

The Internal Certificate Authority (ICA) is created during the primary Security Management Server installation process. The ICA is a component that issues and manages certificates for Check Point products. The ICA is automatically installed and initialized when installing the Security Management Server.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 26.

The statement that is true regarding Gaia command line is that all configuration changes should be made in CLISH and expert-mode should be used for OS-level tasks. CLISH is the default shell of Gaia CLI that provides a limited set of commands for basic configuration and troubleshooting. Expert mode is an advanced shell that allows running Linux commands and accessing the file system. Configuration changes should not be done in expert-mode, as they may cause inconsistencies or errors in the system. The other statements are false regarding Gaia command line. 

The command show cluster state is used to monitor cluster members in CLI. It displays information such as the cluster mode, the cluster members, their status, their priority, and their interfaces.References: [ClusterXL Administration Guide], [Check Point CLI Reference Card]

Correlation Unit is the SmartEvent component that creates events. It analyzes logs received from Security Gateways and Servers, and generates security events according to the definitions in the Consolidation Policy. References: [SmartEvent R80.40 Administration Guide], [Correlation Unit]

In Check Point Gaia WebUI, different icons are used to indicate various system states.

Eyeglasses (A) typically represent "view-only" access.

Pencil (B) represents "edit" or read/write access, meaning the user can modify configurations.

Padlock (C) is often used to indicate locked or restricted settings.

Book (D) does not indicate access permissions.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Pencil" (B), which represents that read/write access is enabled in the WebUI.

Backup and restores can be accomplished through SmartConsole, WebUI, or CLI. SmartUpdate and SmartBackup are not valid options1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 

The file that is an electronically signed file used by Check Point to translate the features in the license into a code is cp.macro. This file contains a list of macros that define the license features and their values. It is located in the $FWDIR/conf directory on the Security Management Server or Security Gateway.References: [Check Point R81 Licensing Guide], [Check Point R80.40 Licensing Guide]

The user ID (UID) of a user that has all the privileges of a root user is 0. The root user is the superuser account that can perform any action on the system, such as changing file ownership, binding to network ports below 1024, or executing any command. The root user is identified by the UID 0, not by the name “root”, which is just a convention. It is possible to have another user account with the name “root”, but not with the same UID 0. 

The tool that is used to enable ClusterXL is cpconfig. ClusterXL is a software-based Load Sharing and High Availability solution that distributes network traffic between clusters of redundant Security Gateways1. To enable ClusterXL, you need to run the cpconfig command on each cluster member and select Enable Cluster membership for this gateway2. Therefore, the correct answer is B. cpconfig.